It was a beautiful Monday morning. The morning was bright and clear with the early morning sun dancing merrily on it's slow and majestic but steady journey to the west. Rubin was still in bed when the morning sun sneaked through his window, hitting it's rays on his eyes. He winced, drowsily opening his eyes as he turned to the other side of the bed.
Unknowingly to him, Laura was kneeling beside his bed, staring at him whiles he was asleep. He met eyes with her and visibly blanched at her sight and fell to the floor. He almost forgot the mere fact that he sees ghost and there was a super clingy one following him around.
He let out an inaudible sigh as he sat up, fully being conscious of himself now. "God Laura," He groaned. "Must you keep doing this?" He scowled at her as he shrug up and Laura yelped. "Sorry–" She also stood up. "You're no fun at all." She muffled to herself but Rubin heard her and scoffed, turning to have a glance at the clock hanging on the left corner of the wall.
To his surprise, it was almost 7pm. His eyes instinctively flew wide opened, remembering Mr. Hooks shifted his morning lesson which was suppose to start at 8:30am to 7:30am to make enough room to cover up for their previously lost lessons. "Oh holy crab." He exuded, "How could I have slept in?" He gingerly peeled his towel off the hanger beside his wardrobe and rushed off to the washroom, totally forgetting all about Laura.
She stared at his back as he slammed the door behind him and sighed, slightly shaking her head. "He is such a nut job." she grumbled and sat on the bed, lurking around. It was at that moment that she instinctively took awareness of his room. It looked quiet simple with a couple of pictures of himself and a group picture of students hanging here and there; a study table directly opposite the door and a wardrobe at the right corner of the room getting to the washroom. The interior decor wasn't quiet great though unlike hers. The corners of her mouth quirked up with a soft sigh as she pressed her hands into the bed, her shoulders slightly hanging. "Quite a simple room." She grumbled mentally to herself, slowly transferring her gaze to the bed which was a little messy with a Barcelona comforter grumbled on it then to the mini wardrobe sitting beside it.
It was then that she noticed the family picture sitting on the wardrobe for the first time. "Oh, he has a little sister?" Laura muttered to herself, as she reached out for the picture, forgetting that her hands were totally useless in her present state. She held it but then, it slipped through her hands. "How did I forget about this?" She sounded disappointed as she stared at her hands.
At that moment, Rubin's door swayed opened. She deftly lifted her eyes to it to see his mother gliding in. "Rubin?" she called out.
"In the washroom mum–" He shouted.
"Alright, hurry and join us." She replied and without another glance of the room, slammed the door shut and left. Laura took a quick glance at the picture once again then to the door. She was so curious to know more about Rubin's family. Then an idea came up to just follow after her or either ask him but then on a second thought, the latter wasn't going to work so she just choose the first.
Laura sprung up from the bed and sauntered to the door, vanishing through it. Not long, Rubin walked out of the washroom in shorts, drying his hair with his towel. "So how long have you...." he was about to ask Laura a question but then looked up and didn't see her anywhere around. "Where did she go?" He glanced sceptically around before shuffling to the window. He stretched out his neck to see whether she was in the yard but then, she was nowhere to be seen. He shrugged and hurriedly went over his wardrobe and changed into his uniform. Within the next 5mins, he was all done. He deftly picked his wrist watch from his mini drawer and then snatch his bag from the bed; shoving it over his shoulders as he trod out of the door, banging it shut.
He rushed down the stairs to meet his family seated around the dinning table. "Rubin, over here." Annabella wittily patted on the seat in between their mother and herself. He instinctively gave a weary grin, noticing Laura seated on his usual seat. "You're here." His mother also added on seeing him. "Hurry, have a seat. You're already running late."
"Sure mum–" He stuttered, giving Laura a stern look. "What do you think you're doing?" he loud whispered and Laura shrugged, indifferent. His mother noticed him and cleared her throat, "Are you okay?"
"Yes mum." He sat beside his sister instead of his usual seat. Both his mother and sister stared quizzically at him but said nothing. The rest of the breakfast time continued in silence as they all enjoyed their meals. Soon, Annabella's school bus pulled up in front of the house. She hastily sprung up from her seat, slowly pushing it back as it made a scrapping sound on the floor. "See you later guys." She took her bag and rushed off.
Laura watched with smiles dancing merrily on her face as Annabella walked out of the door. Seeing Annabella with Rubin reminded her of herself and her brother. She really missed those moments. She glanced back at the table to meet Rubin's gaze faced on her. "What?" she questioned.
"Nothing." He whispered with a smile, "You should have seen your face." He added. Laura scoffed, gesturing with her eyes at his wrist watch to check the time. He did and instantly stood up. He only had about 20mins to make it to school. "Shit." He grumbled to himself, snatching his bag and rushed off, followed by Laura.
"Have a nice day dear." His mother shouted after him.
"You too mum–" He answered back as he hurried out of the door, slamming it behind him. He stormed out of the yard, taking up the pavement to the bus stop. "Hey, will you slow down?" exuded Laura.
"Says who?" He replied and raced off. Laura instinctively stopped, knowing she couldn't keep up with him. "Will meet you at the bus stop." She shouted after him and vanished.
After about 5mins, Rubin got to the bus stop to meet Laura leaning on the shade with her right shoulder and arms folded. "You're here." she stood well with a smile on her face.
Just then, the bus pulled over. They both sauntered in with some other passengers following after. Rubin found a seat two steps away from the driver and settle in with Laura settling beside her. At that moment, one of the passengers tried to sit beside him but he quickly placed his bag on it. "Someone is sitting here." He uttered.
The young man in his mid twenties stared weirdly at the high schooler and moved on to find a new seat. Laura glanced at Rubin and smiled to herself. He noticed and scoffed, "Don't get so flattered."
"And who says I am." She denied.
Rubin gazed at her and chuckled softly, "Anyway, from the way you looked at my sister, I can say you like her."
"Yes I do." She answered. "She reminded me of my brother."
"You have a brother?" He hastily snapped in.
"Yeah," She smiled, slightly glancing at her feet. The rest of the journey continued with the two talking about Laura's family. After about 15minutes drive, the bus finally pulled up in front of the school. They sauntered out with Rubin shoving his bag well over his shoulders. "Let's go." He mumbled and they joined the groups of students walking through the gates into the yard.
They strolled through the yard in silence and was about to take the corridors to the hallway when someone held Rubin to a stop. Laura instinctively stopped in the process too. They both turned to see Alixes.
"Alixes?" Laura muttered.